The present invention relates to an operator station for a telephone exchange, comprising a line selection means, an array of manual controls for handling calls, and visual display means for the items of information necessary to the operator for handling calls.
Telephone exchanges for private use, which are generally known by the abbreviation PABX, have been largely automated by application of digital electronic technology, and have acquired a range of additional facilities. Nevertheless they still generally require the assistance of an operator for dealing with a series of operations, whether in regard to calls from the public system, or in regard to diagnostic operations. Such action must take account of the status or condition of the exchange and the type of call, which are generally indicated to the operator by visual means such as tell-tale lamps and/or an alpha-numeric display.
Whenever there is a wish to employ blind or poorly-sighted persons as operators, in some operator stations for telephone exchanges, the visual indicator means are replaced by acoustic indicator means, for example by means of buzzers producing various tones.
For more sophisticated exchanges wherein the types of operation require a high number of indications to be provided for the operator, it is not possible to replace all the visual indicator means required, by the same number of buzzers.